Chapter 4: The Unveiling and the Uprising

“……Ah……What’s all this ruckus?”

Upon hearing a rapid succession of smashing and chaotic noises, Lin Xi, who had been about to pull Bai Li towards other stalls, came to an abrupt halt.

“Bai Li.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Bai Li knew precisely the responsibilities borne by Awakened individuals who joined official organizations, a group that also encompassed those known by various titles such as “Awakened Beast Hunters” and “Heroes.”

Functioning almost like civil servants, these individuals not only undertook official commissions and carried out missions during their regular duties but also held considerable authority to mediate and resolve disputes among Awakened individuals.

After all, in the current world, the vast majority of people possessed Awakened abilities; indeed, with sufficient resolve, virtually no one remained without such powers. Furthermore, a contingent of rogue Awakened chose to operate independently, eschewing official affiliations, and their unchecked actions could inadvertently trigger severe incidents. Thus, Awakened individuals from official organizations served a vital role, much like plainclothes police, to mitigate such risks.

Yet, despite the carefree enjoyment of their shopping and snacking spree, this sudden incident had abruptly materialized. While Bai Li’s expression remained outwardly placid, inwardly, she was already contemplating a remote assassination of the perpetrator.

There would be no need to hold back, no concern for the collateral damage of a capture, and it would swiftly eliminate a troublesome individual, ultimately benefiting everyone involved—truly a method of killing four birds with one stone.

However, recognizing the potential complications this would cause for Lin Xi, who was right there, she reluctantly abandoned the idea.

“Stop this at once! As a Weichangzhe (TL Note: The name of an official Awakened organization, roughly meaning ‘Maintainers of Order’), what exactly transpired here?”

Shedding her previously lively maiden persona, Lin Xi produced her identification, adopting the authoritative tone of an official organization staff member as she commanded everyone to cease their actions.

As previously noted, members of various Awakened organizations are referred to by distinct titles. The official organization Lin Xi had joined, known as the Weichangzhe, maintained a branch within Tiangong City that enjoyed a modest yet notable reputation.

“Weichangzhe Miss… I implore you to hear me out! I was merely selling my goods as I always do, when suddenly, someone started screaming, threatening to smash my stall for absolutely no reason!”

An employee from one of the small stalls, seemingly taken aback by Lin Xi, who stood a head shorter than them, paused in momentary surprise. Yet, upon noticing the identification clutched in her hand, they refrained from further protest.

They appeared to be an employee because, judging by their youthful demeanor, they seemed to be a student, likely working a part-time job.

“What ‘no reason’ are you talking about? I’m simply asking what exactly you’re selling here! Takoyaki (TL Note: Japanese fried octopus balls) without any octopus—are you deliberately trying to scam people!?”

A burly man snatched up a half-eaten takoyaki ball, and the bitten cross-section plainly revealed an empty interior, devoid of any filling.

“I swear I put it in! The competition has been brutal lately, and I have to be absolutely meticulous to avoid any mistakes, or else I’d surely be fired.”

“And you expect me to believe that nonsense!?”

“Alright, both of you, calm down.”

Witnessing the two on the verge of resuming their heated argument, Lin Xi intervened once more, halting them with a weary sigh.

She had initially braced herself for a significant problem, only to discover it was a remarkably mundane dispute. Not just for her, but even for ordinary people, such occurrences were likely commonplace.

“So, young sir, are you absolutely certain you included all the filling?”

“Absolutely certain! To guarantee repeat customers, I even make a point of remembering who most of them are. It feels less like working at a street food stall and more like being a receptionist…”

As they continued speaking, the student employee’s eyes began to well with tears, as if pouring out the bitter grievances of a diligent worker.

“And what do you have to say for yourself, sir?”

“Of course she’s lying! The simple fact is there’s no octopus in the takoyaki, so why would I bother with it when I could just chew on plain dough?”

“I see…”

Lin Xi uttered slowly, simultaneously channeling her magical energy into her eyes.

Instantly, her vision transformed, revealing a world rendered almost transparent. From the reinforced concrete and intricate pathways within the ground and buildings to the very physical composition of the surrounding people, everything became startlingly clear at a single glance.

This was her inherent ability as a magical girl type Awakened: Sensory Manipulation Magic. It not only allowed her to amplify her own five senses, extending even to a sixth sense, but also granted her the power to interfere with the perceptions of others.

Distinct types of Awakened individuals possessed varied ability systems, much like the classifications of cultivation, sci-fi, or fantasy found in novels. Yet, a fundamental similarity persisted: beyond the unique “inherent ability” exclusive to each person, there existed other universal powers that even the unawakened could wield by harnessing energy. These common abilities included magic, sword qi projection, psychokinesis, or materialization, depending on the specific type. For instance, the shotgun Lin Xi had previously utilized was a magical firearm she had crafted using her own magical energy.

Within her amplified vision, a discernible mass, bearing the distinctive characteristics of an octopus tentacle, was clearly visible within the man’s stomach, despite having been thoroughly chewed.

Having confirmed this undeniable fact, Lin Xi dispelled her magic, then turned her gaze to the man and spoke.

“You… you lied.”

“What?! You’re making baseless accusations! Is this truly how the Weichangzhe operate?”

Having this fact laid bare, the man’s composure instantly crumbled into a panicked flurry.

“You probably bit off the half containing the octopus and then feigned that it was never there to begin with, didn’t you? Such tricks aren’t uncommon; frankly, the fact that someone in this day and age would resort to such a paltry scam only speaks to your character.”

Upon hearing Lin Xi being thus accused, Bai Li’s patience wore thin, and she directly exposed the man’s crude deception.

The tactic was so pathetically simple it bordered on idiotic; Bai Li hadn’t even required magic, unlike Lin Xi, to see straight through it. It made her wonder if this man possessed an Awakened ability named [Humanoid Star] (TL Note: A humorous reference, likely implying a lack of intelligence or a common, unremarkable nature).

“You…!? And just who are you? Little brat, don’t you dare interfere!”

“Huh?”

The insult of being called a child caused a faint ripple of killing intent to emanate from Bai Li.

Yet, before Bai Li could react further, Lin Xi swiftly stepped forward, interposing herself.

“Who are you calling a ‘little brat’? If we are indeed children, then what does that make you, a grown man who preys on even hardworking youngsters?”

Lin Xi pointed an accusing finger at the man, unleashing a torrent of criticism that even spurred the surrounding students and onlookers, who had been merely spectating, to begin jeering.

“Yeah, that’s right!”

“Old geezer, your days are numbered, but we’ve got our whole lives ahead of us!”

“Shameless!”

Confronted by the collective accusations, the man, realizing the situation was beyond salvage, silently bowed his head in defeat.

Observing the man’s crestfallen demeanor, Lin Xi refrained from further reprimand. After all, her duty was to uphold order, not to incite attacks against others.

“Alright, considering this incident hasn’t escalated too severely, I expect you to apologize to that student and offer compensation. Afterwards, you’ll report to the station to give a statement. Should you cooperate fully, this won’t have too significant an impact on your record.”

Having confirmed that the man had merely struck the stall a few times, causing minimal damage and no actual physical harm, Lin Xi delivered her judgment.

“……I……”

“……I……”

The man’s words faltered, punctuated by disjointed pauses, and beside him, Bai Li instinctively sensed that something was amiss.

Just at that moment, an unforeseen shift occurred.

The man abruptly snapped his head up, his eyes now streaked with prominent blood vessels, and a subtle yet unsettling expansion seemed to ripple through his musculature.

“How could I possibly allow myself to be arrested by you?! I’ll kill every single one of you!!”

With a guttural roar, the man lunged forward, his hand raised menacingly as he charged directly at Lin Xi.